Exercise belt



Aug. 15, 1933.- A. w. BRAND 1,922,566

EXERC I SE BELT Filed April 1, 1930 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED. STATES My invention relates to improvements in exercise belts, and particularly to a structure of this character intended and adapted to be used in exercising, massaging and stimulating the muscles and nerves in regions adjacent the spine and especially in the cervical regions. .An object of my invention is to provide an exercise belt which is adaptable for use by the individual to accomplish exercising, massage and stimulation of the muscles and nerves at vital centers, to thus relieve congestion, without the aid of a specially trained assistant or other manipulator.

A further object is to so construct the parts that they can be adjusted for use by individuals of different sizes and to suit various conditions in the individual.

Still another object is to provide for the utilization of electric current applied at the vital centers to aid in the stimulation and remedial treatment.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, my invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawing.

In the drawing:

' Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing one manner of using my improved exercise belt.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating another use.

Fig. 3 is a view in section showing the electric padded slipper.

Fig. 4 is a view in plan of the showing in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail view to better show the neck-pad.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing another form of slipper.

My improved exercise belt is intended primarily to be used by an individual by being caught around the neck, head, or upper shoulder portions at one extremity and beneath the sole of the feet, to

somewhat bow the body, and the individual then sitting or reclining can accomplish the desired massage movement and stimulation by movement of one leg at the time with all other portions of the body. I j

The belt member 1 which is of webbing or yielding material has a buckle or other fastening 2 at one end to receive the remaining end 3 so that the length of the belt can be adjusted to suit the requirements of eachindividual user.

Slipper portions 4 are fitted upon the belt memher 1 so that the belt will bear against the inpad 6 is fitted, this pad being either secured in contact with the back of the head, and, it will PATENT orricc step portion, and these slippers are preferably adjustable to suit the requirements of the indi-' vidual, the slippers being preferably carried by plates 5 which give greater rigidity.

Upon the remaining end of the belt 1 a neckplace or slidable'uponthe belt to be adjusted to individual requirements;

With thestructure made up in the manner set forth the individual user can adjust the length of the belt 1 to suit his own requirements, and the belt is fitted for. use with the feet encased in the slipper portions 4 and the neck-pad 6 caught around the cervical portion at an elevation best suited to treatment of the particular individual. As shown in Fig. 1, the neckpad portion 6 is located adjacent the lower end of the neck,and in Fig. 2 it is'illustrated as in be appreciated that this portion of the belt can be fitted to bear and draw upon any desired portion of the cervical and adjacent areas. The belt 1 is preferably adjusted so that the body of the user will be bent at the waist and the user can then sit or recline upon the fioor or any other surface and by rocking motion and manipulation' of the legs the desired massage and stimulating force can be exerted. I have found that very beneficial results are attained when the user sits and rocks upon a small relatively hard cushion, as illustrated at 7 in Figure l, as the torso can be rocked and twisted to better advantage when supported in this way; however, my improved exercise belt can be used in vari-' ous manners to suit the requirements of each individual. In some instances it may befound desirable to give electrical applications to heat or otherwise stimulate the vital centers upon Which the belt is fitted and the electric circuit wires 3 can be led to connect with suitable coils 9 within the soles of the slipper portions 4, while circuit wires 10 are led to connect with coil wires 11 in the neck-pad 6. Ifidesired, these circuit wires can all be connected to be controlled from a'switch 12 carried by'one end of the belt 2 or at any other suitable and convenient location. The circuits might be jointly or separately controlled and the coils can be constructed to give a low, 05 high or variable heat and to accomplish the desired stimulation of the vital centers.

As illustrated in Fig. 6 the slipper portions 1 might be mounted in conjunction with widened portions 14 permanently formed or located on J0 and adjustable fastening means to connect the ends of said elongated member to form a long loop, the length of the loop and the width of the webbing material being such that one side of the looped belt member can be caught around the neck and cervical portion and the-opposite side can be engaged by the feet whereby movement of the feet with alternate treading motion will move the neck engaging portion back and forth across the cervical region to produce vibratory massaging action without chafing.

2. An exercise belt comprising, an elongated belt' member of non-elastic webbing materiaL' adjustable fastening means to connect the ends of said elongated member to form along loop, the length of the loop and the Width of the Webbing material being such that-one side of the looped belt member can be caught around the neck and cervical portion and the opposite side can be engaged by the feet whereby movement of the feet with alternate treading motion will move Ce neck engaging portion back and forth across the cervical region to produce a vibratory massaging action without chafing, a pad portion mounted and held in the upper loop of the beltmember to be moved back and forth across the cervical region to produce heating friction as the belt member is manipulated, and slipper portions adjustably held on the belt'member in the opposite loop to receive the feet;

3. An exercise belt comprising, an elongated belt member of non-elastic webbingl material, adjustable fastening means to connect the ends of said elongated member to form a long loop,

'the length of the loop and the width of the webbing material being such that one side of the looped belt membercan be caught around the neck and cervical portion and the opposite side can be engaged by the feet whereby movement of the feet with alternate treading motion willmove the neck engaging portion back and forth across the cervical region to produce a vibratory massaging action. without .chafing'a pad portion mounted and. held. in the upper loop of the belt member tobe moved back and forth across the cervical re ion to produce heating friction the'belt member is manipulated, slipper portions adjustably held on the beltvmemher in the opposite loop to receive the feet, and an electrically heatedcoil in said pad to in crease the'heat application beyond the possibility of frictional heating to thus increase the stimulating effect as the belt member is manipulated toapply vibratory massage forces over the oer-- vical region. a Y

- ACHILL W. BRAND. 

